Sixty Two

The deadly glare she had come to associate with her father was now fixed on Mike, but he smiled back at her father. She hid her own smirk, as she watched her father trying to unnerve Mike to no result. The staring contest; that was what she had decided to call it, continued for a while before her father broke it.

He looked at her, and she knew what he would have done. He would have grounded her from leaving her room or talking to any maid for a week. He would have swept her room for anything that would entertain her and confiscate it, but now, he only relaxed and smiled. “She might not have given birth to Amelia, but she had always been her mother, and your wife will respect her as such.”

Mike’s face was cold. She had never seen him like that, but his hand was still warm on hers. He had never let go of her hand for a minute. “My wife will do whatever she wants. She is not obliged to listen to anyone in here. It will be in your interest to listen to her and respect her. Rememb